Latest Suspicious Package In D.C. Not A Threat

WASHINGTON (AP) — Days after a parcel ignited at a Washington postal facility, authorities returned Wednesday to the same neighborhood because of a suspicious package that was later determined not to be a threat.

Firefighters gave the all-clear about 45 minutes after they were called to a building in northeast Washington, D.C. fire department spokesman Pete Piringer said.

The facility handles mail but isn’t run by the U.S. Postal Service, said Michael Romano of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

It’s a different location from the one that received a fiery package last week, he said, though both are on the same street.

Authorities in Washington and Maryland are still investigating three packages that ignited last week.

The first two packages were discovered Thursday and addressed to Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and state Transportation Secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley. The packages smoked and emitted a small flame that singed the fingers of the two employees who opened them.

They included notes complaining about Maryland’s toll-free terrorism tip line.

A day later, a package addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was reported smoking and popping at a northeast Washington mail facility. Authorities believe Napolitano was targeted in part for a campaign called “see something, say something,” that urges people to report suspicious activity.

An FBI terrorism task force is investigating the packages, which were sent to a federal crime lab for analysis. Authorities have no suspects and have been tightlipped about the progress of the probe.